Edited by Paul Elegbeleye
Spain are through to the World Cup 2026 semi-finals, and they made Belgium pay the hardest possible price for it; a gut-punch 88th-minute winner that turned a promising quarter-final into heartbreak for the Red Devils.
The Spain vs Belgium World Cup 2026 quarter-final at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California delivered everything: an early Spanish lead, a Belgian fightback, unprecedented injuries, and a substitute hero who is fast becoming Spain’s Mr. Big Moments. Final score: Spain 2-1 Belgium.
If you missed the drama and action on Friday 10th June, here’s the full breakdown consisting of match report, standout stats, and what it means heading into the semi-final stage.
Table of Contents
How the Match Unfolded
Spain, unbeaten in 35 straight competitive matches coming into the game, struck first. Fabián Ruiz put La Roja ahead in the 30th minute after Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois failed to hold onto an initial save from Mikel Oyarzabal’s shot, with Ruiz immediately pouncing on the rebound.
Belgium responded before the break, as Charles De Ketelaere levelled things up in the 41st minute, handing Spain their first conceded goal of the entire 2026 World Cup, a remarkable stat that had stood since the tournament kicked off.
The turning point came in the second half. Courtois, Belgium’s talismanic keeper, went down with what appeared to be a thigh injury and had to be substituted in the 71st minute of the game. Belgium boss Rudi Garcia later confirmed it as a muscular injury.
In the course of the match, backup keeper and Manchester United standout performer of the just concluded Premier League season, Senne Lammens stepped in immediately, thrown straight into a high-pressure quarter-final.
Spain kept pushing and in the 88th minute, (super) substitute Mikel Merino, on the pitch for barely two minutes pounced on a loose ball after Lammens could only parry a Pau Cubarsí shot. Merino turned it home to make it 2-1, and that scoreline held until the final whistle.
Key Match Stats
– Final score: Spain 2-1 Belgium
– Shots on goal: Spain 17, Belgium 5
– Spain’s opener: Fabián Ruiz, 30th minute
– Belgium’s equaliser: Charles De Ketelaere, 41st minute
– Winning goal: Mikel Merino, 88th minute (his second match-winning goal off the bench in consecutive games for Spain)
– Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
– Date: Friday, 10 July 2026
Before this match, Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simón had gone 609 consecutive minutes without conceding across the last two World Cups combined; a run that ended with De Ketelaere’s nodded strike.
Belgium arrived at the quarter-final as presumably one of the tournament’s most potent attacking sides, having scored 13 goals in their first five games (an average of 2.6 per match), including a 4-1 demolition of the United States in the Round of 16, a game in which Romelu Lukaku became the first player in World Cup history to score as a substitute in four separate matches.
Belgium’s night was unfortunately compounded by injury misfortune even before the kickoff, as captain Youri Tielemans was ruled out with an injury picked up in the warm-up, before Courtois joined him on the sidelines mid-game.
Cristiano Ronaldo Concludes an Unforgettable World Cup Era in 2026
Historical Context on Spain’s Dominance Over Belgium
Friday’s clash was the 23rd meeting overall between these two football nations, and only their third at a FIFA World Cup. Their first World Cup meeting dates back to 1986, also a quarter-final, which Belgium won on penalties (5-4) after a 1-1 draw.
Since then, Spain have owned the rivalry, winning their last five meetings against Belgium and conceding just once across that stretch, well, until De Ketelaere’s goal on Friday.
What’s Next: Spain vs France in the Semi-Final
Spain now advanced to face France in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final in Dallas on Tuesday. France in their own right reached the same stage after beating Morocco 2-0 just the day before (9 July). It sets up a mouth-watering all-European semi-final, with Spain chasing their second World Cup title, 16 years after their historic 2010 triumph.
Speaking after the match, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente kept his players grounded despite the big win and demanding the best version of themselves, saying in regard to their blockbuster semi-final clash against Les Bleus of France: “The match is wide open; it will call for fresh, energetic players… but now that we’re here, we’re going to give it our all”.
For Belgium, the reality is that this marks the end of the road for a golden generation built around Kevin De Bruyne, and questions will now turn to what comes next for a squad packed with experience but running out of major tournaments to make their mark.
Final Thoughts
The Spain vs Belgium World Cup 2026 quarter-final was a reminder that in knockout football, one mistake or one moment of substitute magic can decide everything. Arsenal’s Mikel Merino has now scored the winning goal in back-to-back knockout matches for Spain, a knack for late drama that could carry La Roja all the way to their dreamed of final.
Football fans around the world have plenty to look forward to, with the Spain-France semi-final shaping up as arguably the tie of the tournament so far. Stay tuned to Geeky Nigeria for full World Cup 2026 coverage, match reports, and semi-final previews as the road to the final continues.
Also Read: How France Beat Morocco 2-0 to Reach the 2026 World Cup Semi-Finals
